It has meant 10 trips each way, twice a day. It means sorting them out in the morning us a bit slower, and much slower in the evening.
However, it does mean they are getting used to being handled, they are - mostly - less stressed, and it will save time later. It's so much easier dealing with hens who are happy to be handled.
The chicks love being outside. The older ones are now 5 weeks, and they need more spac. If it was just them, they would be living outside in the cube now (with an electric hen). But it isn't just them, and the tiniest wouldn't be able to cope. The biggest DO need even more space though, so today we put netting round our one bit of 'lawn' and opened the cube run doors to let them out.
They have been running around chirrup ping excitedly. They haven't yet discovered the Grandpa's Feeder, which is full of chick crumb and wedged open. We've found in the past that if something is there from the beginning, then they take it in their stride.
From tomorrow, the big ones will be put in the cube each morning, so they can get themselves diwn the ladder and in to the run. The littlees will be placed on the run as normal.
